Gemotions

The lilies arrived, fragrant and pristine, a cruel splash of white against the drab November rain. No card. Just a delivery man, a crumpled receipt, and the insipid beauty of someone's anonymous gesture. She considered throwing them into the overflowing dumpster across the alley. Instead, she meticulously arranged them in her grandmother's antique crystal vase, the one her ex-boyfriend had always hated. She placed it squarely in the center of the dining table, visible from the street.

Later, she watched from her darkened living room window, sipping cold coffee. A woman paused, craning her neck to see through the glass. A smile bloomed on her face. The smile seemed to last an eternity. Then, the woman moved on, disappearing into the twilight. A low chuckle rumbled in her chest.